Tales of Banks Peninsula
The Story Of The French Colonisation of Akaroa
The Story Of The French Colonisation of Akaroa.
As a fitting narrative to follow the last, the compiler has selected the following account of the French settlement, principally written from information furnished by Mr Wæckerlie, one of the original settlers, who came in the Comte de Paris.
About the year 1820, the adventurous seamen who had hitherto captured the whale in the Northern Ocean, found that the fish were fast decreasing in number, and turned longing eyes to the vast waters of the South Pacific, which voyagers had told them swarmed not only with many varieties of the whale tribe found in the north, hut also with the huge sperm, whose oil was of great value, as well as the spermaceti found in its head. A few soon ventured, and their good reports and great success induced many to follow their example. At first the Cape of Good Hope was chosen as the centre of the operations of those daring men, whose lives were in continual peril, but whose profits we r page 86enormous; but year by year they fished further and further, and the coasts of Australia and New Zealand were soon made tbe scene of their dangerous avocation.
About 1835, before the first representative of England (Captain Hobson) had taken up his residence in Auckland, an adventurous French mariner, named Captain L'Anglois, came on a whaling cruise to these seas, Amongst the many harbours that he visited was the beautiful Bay of Akaroa, the perfect safety of whose sheltered waters went straight to the heart of the rough seaman, after the fierce gales he had encountered in the stormy southern seas. The luxuriant vegetation that everywhere fringed the inlets, showed that the soil was of exceeding fruitfulness; the mighty pines that towered above their meaner fellows gave promise of a vast supply of timber; whilst the innumerable kakas, pigeons, and other native birds, that woke the echoes of the bush with their harmonies and discords, and the fish that swarmed in the waters of the bay, showed that an abundant supply of nutritious food would always be obtainable. So charmed was Captain L'Anglois with the tranquility of the spot, that, with a true Frenchman's love of France, he coveted it for his country, and determined to found a colony on this scene of primeval loveliness. It was in the year 1838 that he first had an opportunity of taking the premier steps in this direction, by purchasing all that part of the Peninsula from the Maoris which lies between Piraki and the Akaroa Heads. Mr Wæckerlie did not know the name of the chief from whom Captain L'Anglois purchased the land, and the price paid for it, but doubtless the amount, was a comparatively small one, (See pages 80 and 81.)
In 1838 Captain L'Anglois returned to France, and on his arrival he told some of his countrymen of the purchase he had made, and the result was the formation of a company to colonize this estate. The company appears to have been encouraged by the French Government, for an old ship of war called the Comte de Paris was lent to Captain L'Anglois to take out any persons who might be desirous of settling on his land, and another armed ship, page 87the L'Aube. was sent to New Zealand beforehand, under the charge of Commodore Lavaud, to project the colonists on their arrival. All this, however, was done quietly, for the English had already settled in parts of the islands, though New Zealand was not proclaimed a British colony till 1841. It was not till the middle of the year 1839 that the company was formed, under the name of the Nantes-Bordelaise Company. The principal people taking an active part were Captain L'Anglois and his brother, M. Jacques L'Anglois, and M. M. St. Croix and Eugene de Belligny. In August, 1839, the company advertised for emigrants in Havre de Gras, offering a free passage and the occupation of five acres of land on arrival, which would become the freehold of the occupier in five years, if cultivated within that time, but if not cultivated it would revert to the company. Each emigrant was also promised provisions sufficient to last eighteen months after landing in the settlement. There does not seem to have been much enthusiasm shown, for it was the first of January, 1840, before some thirty persons left Havre in a steamer bound to Rochefort, whence the Comte de Paris was to sail for the new colony. After an eight days' passage, they arrived at Rochefort only to find that the Comte de Paris was not nearly ready for sea. On the 8th March, 1840, everything was ready for a start, A good many more emigrants had joined at Rochefort, so that at that time there were 65 on board, which, with the officers and crew, made the total number of souls on board the Comte de Paris 105. There were six Germans amongst the emigrants. M. St. Croix de Belligny, who is, it is said, living in Auckland, acted as agent for the company, and by his great affability and skill he appears to have won universal goodwill. There were no stock on board the vessel, not even so much as a cat or dog, but there were choice collections of all sorts of seeds, and a number of carefully selected grape vines.
The start was a most unfortunate one, for the steamer that towed the vessel out missed the channel, and the Comte de Paris stuck in the mud, and had to be lightened page 88of part of her cargo before she could be got off. However, on the 19th March, these difficulties were surmounted, and a fair wind soon took the vessel out of sight of France. The first part of the passage was not eventful, but was very uncomfortable, for the Comte de Paris not only sailed very slowly, but steered very badly. The weather too was very rough, and all on board were glad when a short stay was made at an island in the tropics (probably St. Helena), where fresh provisions, including a bountiful supply of bananas, were procured. Four months after starting, when off the coast of Tasmania, a terrific storm of thunder and lightning was experienced. The lightning first struck the main topgallant and topmasts, and they both carried away. The seamen were terrified at the catastrophe, and great confusion ensued. Immediately orders were given to take all sail off the mizzen mast, but fortunately they were not immediately obeyed, or there would have been great loss of life, for a second flash struck the mizzen mast, and it carried away about eight feet from the deck, and the vessel broaching to it in the trough of the sea nearly capsized. Captain L'Anglois and his crew were, however, equal to the emergency. They cut away the wreck and rigged jury masts, and a month later they were off the Peninsula. Here two of the immigrants died, and, as their friends were desirous that they should be buried on land, the vessel anchored in Pigeon Bay, where the remains of the unfortunate colonists were interred on the beach. It was a primitive burial, and all traces of the graves have long since been swept away. Captain L'Anglois was anxious before entering Akaroa Harbour to ascertain if Commodore Lavaud had arrived there, and taken possession of the place, as previously arranged, so he despatched a whaleboat from Pigeon Bay for that purpose. Four days later the boat returned with the distressing intelligence that there was no sign of the frigate. On the 14th August the Comte de Paris sailed from Pigeon Bay, and anchored at Akaroa Beads on the 15th, and despatched another boat up the harbour in search of the lagging Commodore. This time the search was successful, for page 89they found the vessel had arrived, and the frigate's launch was sent to tow the Comte de Paris up the harbour. Very lucky it was for those on board that such was the case, for there was a heavy sea running at the Heads, and one of the flukes of the anchor had broken, and the vessel had drifted close to the rocks. However, the frigate's boat soon had her in tow, and once inside the Heads all difficulties were passed, and tbe following morning found her safe anchored off the future town of Akaroa, All on board were delighted and astonished at the delightful prospect, and the colonists were determined not to spend another night on board the ship, so all the spare sails and canvas were taken ashore, tents hastily rigged, and the wearied voyagers reposed that night where the Akaroa Mail office used to stand (now the property of Mr Joseph Hammond). The morning of the 17th was calm and beautiful, and the colonists were pleasantly awakened at the first dawn of day by the notes of innumerable birds.